The Return
by Hubert24601
Summary: Synopsis: Someone is being really loud and really, well, irritating. Who on earth could be at her door at - THREE IN THE MORNING? OneShot! This story takes place after S04 but before S05. Mountie/Liza Rated T for Totally Cute and Really Really Fluffy.


I have been binge-watching WCTH and I can't help it! Not only am I hooked, but I have to write about it or it will kill me!

Please let me know what you think! I have a couple more up my sleeve. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of WCTH, that is all Janette Oke and Hallmark!

 **This story takes place after season 4, but I guess before season 5?**

Synopsis: Someone is being really loud and really, well, irritating. Who on earth could be at her door at - THREE IN THE MORNING? Mountie/Liza

 **The Return**

Elizabeth mumbled from her pillow when she heard a loud knock at her door. "Just a second…" Groaning, she got up shivering with the cold air, and quickly slid a robe over top of her nightgown.

She marched downstairs, lantern in hand. "Who on earth could be at my door this late?" She glanced at the clock and it read 3 in the morning. "Or this early?"

Elizabeth swung the door open and almost dropped her lantern. "Jack?" It was barely a whisper, barely a breath on her lips, when it was muffled by a cry and his arms were around her. She breathed in his scent, his strength, her whole body shaking against his as she trembled and cried with joy. She barely realized that Jack had gently gathered her lantern out of her hand and had placed it on the side table by the door, so focused was she on him, but it didn't matter. She suddenly realized how grateful she was now to have two hands to touch him, two hands to run through his hair like she hadn't done in all of the years she had known him, but had always wanted to do.

But he still hadn't spoken. Elizabeth didn't want to pull away, but she wanted to see his face. When she finally did, pressing one last kiss to his dear, sweet cheek, she stared into his eyes, eyes that she had thought she had known until she was seeing them again after months. There was a new depth to them. A beautiful, wonderful change. And right now they were shedding more tears than she, for he was speechless. His fingers brushed through the tangles of her curls, and for once Elizabeth didn't mind that she might very well look afright. This was her fiancé, and he was home.

Finally it came, his voice, the voice that she had heard as she read his letters, his beautiful letters that she had stored in her apron pocket, worn to the edges, on the verge of falling apart, just like her heart.

"Elizabeth." It was deeper, husky, more wonderful than she had even remembered, and her name on his lips made her weep openly all over again, and she pulled him inside, feeling his exhaustion and relief.

It was mere seconds after the door closed that her lips were on his, bruising in their delicious attack, relief and love and _he was really here_ and she loved him so much, so much, and he was holding her as tightly as possible as if trying to forge them together, and it was beautiful.

Elizabeth didn't realize she was still crying as Jack kissed her tears away, his own tears still shining on his face as he gave a choked laugh, his smile wider than she had ever seen it, barring when he had asked for her hand.

"My love," she whispered, burying her face in the crook of his neck, her fingers moving through his hair as his arms tightened around her, his own sniffs lessening.

"My love," he repeated softly, his lips never leaving her skin.

"I'm never letting you go, not without me, ever again," Elizabeth murmured fiercely against his skin, sending a visible shiver through Jack's body.

She felt him nod as his lips nuzzled her again. "Now you know what Hamilton was like," he replied calmly.

Elizabeth froze, then burst out laughing, her tears of the moment and of the last 9 months forgotten.

As Jack joined her, they both felt the stress leave their bodies, as if the time apart had been a hideous nightmare.

"I better go," he whispered, brushing his lips once, twice against hers. "There will be talk tomorrow."

Elizabeth resolutely shook her head. "No. Stay with me, please. I even have a spare bed for you."

Jack gave a laugh that sounded like he was about to start crying. "Please, Elizabeth, after nine months apart, I don't trust myself."

Elizabeth tiptoed up to meet his warm lips, and they stood for a minute, lost in the heaven of each other's arms.

Jack might have been persuaded – in fact, he was well on his way to being very much so – when a loud knock startled them both, before the door pushed open.

"Elizabeth Thatcher! What will Jack say when – " A furious Rosemary stormed through the door, then stopped dead when she saw who exactly was standing there. "Jack!"


End file.
